


Annoying Uchihas, Dango Hime

by Momiji_Dysprosium



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/M, Gen, Haruno Sakura is So Done, Haruno Sakura-centric, Humor, Itachi is too weird, No Uchiha Massacre, Not Beta Read, Or Is he?, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Out of character Itachi, Two Shot, Uchiha Itachi-centric, let her sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:20:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29247927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Momiji_Dysprosium/pseuds/Momiji_Dysprosium
Summary: A tired Sakura just wants to have a nice birthday, go home to eat, wash and sleep. She was unimpressed by those hindrances a.k.a Uchihas. Itachi would beg to differ; a new threat has been found in Konoha and everyone was fooling themselves.(Also posted on ff.net)
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Itachi
Comments: 18
Kudos: 102





	1. Annoying Uchihas...

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Fanfiction.net, I'm trying to move my work on AO3
> 
> Unbetaed Two shot
> 
> Enjoy~

"Sakuraaa-chyan!" shouted a smiling man with sun-colored hair bright blue eyes and draped in orange garbs.

This was Uzumaki Naruto, the optimist member of Team 7. He looked like the sunshine and his personality was as bright as the sun. Naruto was one of her closest friends, even if she had founded him quite bratty and annoying as a teen. Now, her friend was closer on his path to hokage. He managed to prove himself to Konoha and the whole world. Uzumaki Naruto who had been known as the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki was a true hero and one of the kindest souls on this earth.

"Shut up dobe, we're in a hospital!" hissed a frowning man with dark midnight locks and pale flawless skin, his smoldering eyes glaring intensely at the blonde.

Uchiha Sasuke was her first love, he was the sexiest man in Team 7. If Naruto was the day, Sasuke would be the night. People and a younger Sakura always found him mysterious and beautiful. However, after working with him in team 7, Sakura found that he was a socially awkward man, with a personality bordering (and touching that border) the Tsundere-line.

"What did ya say teme?!" furiously shouted the blonde.

Sakura hit Naruto on the head, she turned to Sasuke's smirking face and brutally pinched his arms.

"Honestly you two, this is why I always ask you to wait for me OUT of the hospital." said Sakura.

She rolled her eyes and gripped their hands. Offering an apologetic nod to the secretary who was giving them the stingy eyes. They walked out of her workplace, and she let go of their arm.

"So, what is it?" asked Sakura as she stretched her arms.

She had a tiring day and a more tiring week; she was planning on taking a warm shower, having some food, and falling asleep in her soft bed.

"Sakura-Chan! Don't tell me you forgot!" loudly said Naruto as he comically pointed his index at her.

She blinked in confusion. Was it her fault that she hadn't been to her home since two or was it three days? She forgot to take her planner for that shift and then _things_ happened.

Since Tsunade-sama went on holiday with poor Shizune, Sakura was the only one managing the hospital. She had seen Ino earlier in the week, but after that, the blonde had been occupied with clan business and was working on some poison for Shizune.

Even if Sakura wanted to see her, it had been impossible because of some stupid chunin who ate bear liver and got maimed by the dead bear's father - or was it its mother? Who cared about that, in the end, Sakura had to intervene in a lengthy procedure, that could have been easily avoided if they just had eaten fish. Honestly, every academy student knows to NOT eat bear liver.

Hence, Sakura was pretty tired, and she didn't even know what she had to do. She tried hard not to think about the big pile of laundry waiting for her at home; this will have to be done by tomorrow's Sakura.

"Hn." said Sasuke.

"What? What do you mean I promised to hang out with you today? I don't remember that!" said Sakura as she crossed her arms on her chest.

She may not know the day or what she was supposed to do today, but Sakura would never ever have forgotten a promise made to her friends, especially if it was a promise to team 7 or Ino.

"Sakura-Chan! " shouted loudly Naruto. "You promised to come, dattebayo! Ino's the one who's organizing the whole thing." finished Naruto, his voice getting higher as he spoke.

Sakura put her hands on her hips, her green eyes narrowed on the blond.

"Na. Ru. To."

He squeaked.

"Why are you lying to me?!" darkly asked Sakura.

The blond panicked and decided that the best way to dodge her green glare was to put innocent Sasuke in front of her. Sadly, he forgot Sasuke wasn't one to follow.

"Let me go, usuratonkachi!" said Sasuke as he shook Naruto off him.

"Teme! Can't you be helpful here?" spat Naruto as he advanced toward the Uchiha.

Sasuke continued to glare and also approached his harsh face to the blonde's tanned one.

"She already knows you were lying, dobe. Great work, I can see you're a shinobi." sarcastically said Sasuke.

"Oh, yeah at least I can speak to my teammate, Teme. You can't even say words; you're a caveman, dattebayo!" said Naruto in a mean bratty tone.

Sakura fixed the pair with a deadpanned expression. How was this her life? What did she do to be their babysitter? Wondered the pink-haired woman. She remembered a time when every time they fought, her teary eyes founded Kakashi-sensei's deadpanned face. Their dispute had her worried each time and she hadn't been able to understand why her sensei wasn't doing anything.

Now, she acknowledged his genius mind and agreed with him; this will never change, Naruto and Sasuke will always behave that way with each other.

"And you both wonder why people say you're gay for each other?" exasperatedly said Sakura.

Their faces were a few centimeters apart, the words they said may have been mean but the twinkle in those blue eyes and that warmness in those dark eyes were unmistakable - they were enjoying themselves.

The two turned around, the face they made was comic enough to make her snort. Naruto looked at her as if she had destroyed Ichiraku Ramen, and Sasuke's face was paler than a ghost and his eyes widened.

"W-w-what! Sakura-Chan, nobody is saying that, dattebayo! Tell me it's not true!" asked Naruto as he put his hands on her shoulders and started to shake her.

"Sakura." said Sasuke with his arms crossed and a dangerous expression on his face.

However, Sakura wasn't phased by them; she was used to her team's dynamic. She pushed Naruto's arms off her, ignored Sasuke, and focused on what was important.

"Whatever. Why are you two here?" asked the tired pink-haired medic-nin.

Naruto's blue eyes, full of panic, turned again on Sasuke's annoyed face. The young Uchiha merely let out an exasperated sigh.

"Yamanaka arranged a surprise birthday party."

"TEME! It was supposed to be a secret!"

And… they were arguing again.

Sakura nibbled her rosy lips, she desperately wanted to go home, take a relaxing bath, eat food and sleep in her cocoon of drapes. However, Ino's future temper tantrum would be annoying as hell… Wait a minute.

"What do you mean by birthday party?"

The look full of pity that Uchiha Sasuke gave her nearly, put the last nail on her social life's coffin. If Naruto had been the one to give that look at her, she could have grudgingly accepted it.

But, no, Uchiha Sasuke — a.k.a. Sir Training is my Life a.k.a. Master Social necessities, I don't need it a.k.a. Dr. Human shouldn't spend too much time with other humans — was giving her that pitiful look. Her social skills were better than Uchiha Tomato Lover Sasuke, goddammit.

"Happy Birthday Sakura-chyan!" Naruto eagerly interrupted her with an affectionate hug.

She forgot her own birthday, dang it.

She hugged her friend back and gave a mean glare at Sasuke, he snorted. Right, she certainly didn't look dangerous right now. One, Naruto was hugging her, and Sakura sadly noted that her feet were no longer touching the ground. Two, her cheeks were squashed by Naruto's shoulder and three, she was tired.

"Happy birthday, Sakura." softly muttered the Uchiha, with an open warmness in his eyes for a few seconds.

"Thank you guys." tried to say Sakura, but her gruff voice was muffled by Naruto's hug. "Let me go, Naruto!" she gently pinched his arm, and he wisely let her back on safe ground, but his left hand snatched her right hand.

"Sakura-chyan, let's go!"

He suddenly started running with the Uchiha.

"W-wait!"

"Hn." said Sasuke as he instantly followed them.

"Yes I'm coming, I was not protesting Sasuke-kun, but let me just go home and take a shower." asked Sakura.

They continued running and ignored her.

"Guys!"

* * *

A few moments later, Sakura was in a bar surrounded by their infamous gang Konoha 13, sat at the table, with a birthday cake in front of her with a single candle lit on it. Ino had put on a ridiculous red and white cone with a pink pompom on Sakura's head as soon as she entered the bar. Her drowsy eyes looked fondly at her friends, and she blew the small candle decorating the pale pink colored cake, the group cheered loudly.

"Now, let's get this party started! Let's go dance !" shouted joyfully Kiba.

"K-Kiba-kun ! It's time to give Sakura-san her present." said Hinata in a soft tone, her face blushing with everyone's eyes on her.

"Yeah, dog-breath! How could you forget Sakura-chan's present?"

"Interesting. Weren't you the first one to get up dickless?" said Sai with his fake smile, riling Naruto.

"Ok guys, stop it." Said Ino with a dark glare. She turned back toward Sakura. "Here you go, forehead girl! This is a present from Team Asuma and most importantly by me."

Ino pushed two small packs in the surprised medic's hands. Sakura opened the present under the sparkling eyes of Ino.

"Oh, those earrings are so cute! Thank you, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji."

The small earrings were discreet and simple looking, however, the ruby was eye-catching enough for Sakura who didn't put much jewelry. She opened the second box, and her jaw nearly dropped — a nice set of dangerous silver senbons and two bottles of poison.

"No way! Are those Suna's Red Salamander's Flame!" gushed Sakura.

Ino giggled.

"I knew you would recognize it at first glance forehead. Isn't it beautiful?" asked Ino with a smirk and a flip of her ponytail.

"Yeah." breathlessly answered Sakura, her eyes on the flaming red colored poison. "Oh my god, you guys, you got me two bottles!"

The quantity of independent research that she wanted to do on this poison was humongous, sadly she didn't have time to go to Suna - or even to merely work on it. Now that she had the poison, she will be able to spend so much time having fun, there were so many experiments that she wanted to develop.

"Forehead girl, you're drooling."

Sakura blinked and blushed under the eyes of her friends. Thankfully for her, Tenten interrupted the awkward moment.

"So, what does it do?" asked the weapon lover.

Ino and Sakura shared a delighted giggle.

"One drop of Suna's Red Salamander's Flame can make someone burn from the inside out." started Sakura, her tone going serious. " At least, that's what the rumor said. According to Shizune-senpai's published research, when a single drop touches your skin, you will experience nothing at first. One hour later, you will feel an itch inside your skin, a simple itch won't make you, three hours later you will feel as if someone's burning you from the inside out."

"A little slow, I guess. But it could be intriguing to see." said Tenten with her arms crossed.

"Yeah, but I know that Sakura will be able to do something better with it. That is if she can make a remedy first." teased Ino with a wink.

"Y-you d-don't have the a-anti-poison ?" softly asked Hinata.

Sakura turned toward Ino as well.

"Nah, I believe in her big forehead. I'm sure that she will be able to make it." shrugged Ino.

"Troublesome." muttered Shikamaru.

"Whatever, I guess, it's our turn." shouted Kiba.

Sakura blinked.

"Wait. You all brought me a present ?!"

"Are you going deaf, ugly?"

Sakura sent that idiot her glare of doom.

"H-here Sakura-san !" interrupted a blushing Hinata.

"From Team Kurenai, hope you like it." said Kiba with a confident grin.

Akamaru barked joyously, and Shino offered her a nod.

Sakura opened the package, she found two scrolls inside it. The first one, which was larger, contained a B-rank genjutsu 'Kurenai-sensei was happy to give it - said Kiba with a wide grin.' The second one which was more decorated was an official invitation to the Aburame Clan.

"Shino-san, are you sure?" asked Sakura, twinkling her green eyes at him.

Shino nodded approvingly. "Why? Because you're a great medic and my clan believes in you."

Sakura instantly gave him a small bow.

"I will do my best." solemnly said Sakura.

"What is it, dattebayo ?" eagerly asked Naruto.

"Sorry Naruto, I can't tell you the specific details." said Sakura.

"Yosh !" Lee eagerly pushed Naruto. "It's now our turn."

Lee took a bulky parcel out of nowhere and set it on the table - he nearly took out the cake but Choji's reflexes save it. The weight of the gift made the table groan.

"Idiot!" Tenten gently whacked his head. " Be careful about the furniture! We're not repaying for the destruction of another bar." scolded Tenten.

"Sakura-san! I hope this gift will meet your youthfulness! If it doesn't, I will run 1,000 laps around Konoha!"

Sakura and everyone else sweat-dropped.

"Lee. Calm down." said Neji.

Sakura accepted the package. She nearly blanched at the bright red-orange colored leg warmer - that was Lee's gift for sure.

"T-thank you." said Sakura.

"Look under those for the rest Sakura-san." said Tenten in an exhausted voice.

Sakura took the horrifying leg-warmer out, and she put them gently on the ground. She took out the nice set of kunai in the package.

"Wow !"

She admired the quality of the sharpened kunai, a warm feeling washed over her at the small cherry-blossom engraved on each of them - Tenten had devoted many hours perfecting them. They felt easier to operate than the regular one.

"Were they made with a different material?" curiously asked Sakura.

"Tenten made them for your hand only, Sakura-san. She spent many hours on them." explained Neji, his arms crossed and his eyes giving Tenten a fond look.

Tenten blushed and laughed sheepishly.

"Neji helped me, a lot." said the weapon mistress.

Ino smirked and opened her mouth, surely to tease Tenten, but Sakura halted her with a pinch on her hips. She ignored the small squeak and the glare sent by her best friend, choosing instead to thank Team Guy, again.

"Well, now! It's time for your team's gift!" chirped Ino, clapping her hands.

Sakura and the others turned toward Sai, Naruto and Sasuke.

"You are right Beautiful." said Sai as he gave his fake-but-still-true smile.

His head rotated toward Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto and Sasuke shared an awkward moment and shifted their heads mechanically toward Sai. The pale guy forcefully continued to smile, nervous sweat dripping from his temple.

"Hahaha! Yeah, dattebayo! Where is her gift Teme? " awkwardly continued her blond teammate.

Sasuke scowled and harshly glared at Naruto. It may have been due to tiredness, but Sakura could have sworn she saw a scorned Mikoto-sama instead of Sasuke.

"What. The. Hell. Dobe."

Sasuke, bless his soul, was no liar. He was also bad at social cues like those. Sakura would have laughed if it wasn't for the rising temper of Ino, the gorgeous blonde was glaring daggers at Sakura's teammate.

"You three! How could you not buy a gift for her birthday ?!" shouted Ino, her hands on her hips and her cheeks flushed in anger.

"So lame Dudes." added Kiba with a smirk.

"How could you Naruto-kun? I can understand Sasuke-san and Sai-san's lack of youthfulness, but not you Naruto-kun."

"Ehh ?! Why, just me, dattebayo!" shouted Naruto as he pointed his fingers at Sasuke and Sai. "They are also our teammates, dattebayo !"

Suddenly, Sai awkwardly fake-coughed. He gave her an open scroll with drying ink on it. She carefully took the scroll from his hand and looked at the cute drawing of her team.  
Naruto doing a Rasengan, Sasuke scowling and invoking his kirin from his sword. But also with Kakashi engulfed in the cutest dog pile ever with Pakkun on top, Yamato was on the other side making a Cherry Blossom tree from his hands. Sakura was in the middle cracking the earth.

She smiled tenderly.

"You forgot yourself, Sai." scolded gently Sakura.

He blinked, took back the drawing, and there it was — above Naruto, and near Sasuke's Kirin — a cute Sai was flying on his bird-drawing.

"It's perfect thank you." said Sakura with a grin.

Sometimes, she was jealous of his hands; Sakura could draw schemas of the human body, but she didn't have that talent of his. Ino interrupted her musing.

"Thank god for Sai! Honestly, you two-" started Ino, however, Sakura cut her.

"Drop it, Ino. They were busy, and Sai's drawing is perfect."

"Hell no, Sakura, you're always too forgiving! It's your twentieth birthday for god's sake! " continued Ino, poking Sakura in her forehead - right on her seal."Besides, I told Naruto - two times! I can't believe you didn't buy anything. And what about you Sasuke-kun?"

Sakura tiredly gazed at her teammates. Although they hadn't been able to see each other this week, she knew that they all had been busy.

Two weeks ago, Team 7 had been called in the newly instigated Rokudaime's office. Kakashi decided to put team seven at the center of a new project - a new frontal-assault squad; a _secret_ project. She nearly punched Kakashi's smiling face when he told them that they had one month to be ready.

This project was one of the main reasons why the members of her team were all tired; they were all trying to train and keep it a secret, meaning that their normal workload had to be also done.

For her, it meant maintaining her work in the hospital, train with her team, plan with her team. Thankfully for her and her parents, Sakura left her family home and was now living in a nice apartment. (It had been a good idea, now they all could live peacefully - her parents could have full nights and she could come and go whenever she needed.)

For the rest of her team, they had it hard - with Naruto already learning the ropes from Kakashi. However, the one who must be struggling the most, was her broody social-awkward teammate, Sasuke Uchiha.

Poor Sasuke was still living with his parents, his elder brother — he even had an elder cousin who nearly lived in his brother's room — according to Sasuke's rare rants. (That relationship made Sakura pause; was everyone gay in the village? Or is she the only one who seems to see those ambiguous moments? Was she getting crazier? Maybe. She needed sleep after all.)

Sasuke-kun had to be really careful about the project. He lives with the Head Chief of Konoha's police force, two notorious ANBU members, and his mother.

Yep, poor Sasuke-kun.

"Tch."

Sasuke harshly glared at Ino.

"Whatever. Let's go dance guys!" said the blonde woman, avoiding the Uchiha's eyes.

… And they were all gone, except for Sasuke and Shikamaru. Choji had gone to the counter; the rest were dancing around. Oops. Sakura did a double-take at Shino, who still had been there; How could she have been able to see him, when he was nearly one with the wall? Thank god, he can't read her mind, thought the pink-haired woman.

"Sakura."

Sakura blinked and turned toward Sasuke-kun; he looked conflicted with himself. His lips were downturned, but his eyes weren't narrowed in an angry frown; no Sasuke was frustrated and conflicted.

"What is it Sasuke-kun?" muttered Sakura, her face closer to his.

He clenched his fist on his sake cup.

"I didn't remember. Your gift, I mean." said Sasuke.

She gave him a small shy smile; he was the cutest. She took the sake cup out of his hand and grasped his palm in hers.

"It's okay. I understand."

She locked her eyes with his, trying to let him know they both had been busy. There was no need for gifts; she was happy to spend time with them. The frustration left his body, and his dark eyes were warmer.

"Hn."

They calmly drank their cup of sake, watching their friends and especially Naruto dance around. Sakura let out a giggle when she saw Ino teaching Sai how to twerk. Sasuke's eyes twinkled mischievously, and he smirked evilly - ah blackmail, we love you, thought Sakura.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Sasuke's face, which had been peaceful, changed into his annoyed one.

"Shisui." greeted Sasuke, voice devoid of pleasure.

"Sasuke." spoke another authoritative voice, deeper and colder.

Instead of frowning, Sasuke's expression was happier, he relaxed more.

"Nii-san!" greeted Sasuke with a warm tone.

Sakura hadn't needed to turn around however, one of the men sat directly in front of her, and forced the second man to sit next to him, and in front of Sasuke. Shikamaru was still fast asleep - or faking it, she bet he was faking it.

Sakura carefully analyzed the two men. She heard of them, but it was her first time meeting them. She may have done surgery on them, but Sakura didn't recall every patient she had. Furthermore, they were elites from Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai - ANBU; they were those who hurt and rarely got hurt, they were the ones exclusively healed by Tsunade-shishou - for now.

She may encounter them in the foreseeable future if Kakashi-sensei's ambitious project bears fruit.

"So, Sasu-chan." said the first man with a mischief aura and a grinning face. "Is that your lover?"

Sasuke and Sakura looked at each other before a frowning Sasuke turned back to face the curly-haired Uchiha. Sakura bit her bottom lip, her wry face tilting to the side.

There was a time when she was crushing hard on Sasuke. It is true that Sakura sincerely loved Sasuke, and if anyone asked her, she would truthfully tell that yes, she loved Uchiha Sasuke. However, the pink-haired medic wasn't in love with him - or maybe she had been, how can she be sure? They did kiss that one time; it hadn't felt wrong, but it hadn't felt right. It was two pieces of flesh, warm and humid, meeting shyly for the first time.

Sakura loved Sasuke because he never lied to her. He was the only one who was harsh with her, he was the one who bluntly told her that she had to be better. He may have ruthlessly crushed the pink-haired wannabe ninja, but he had a critical role in her continuous growth as a capable woman. Sakura trusted Uchiha Sasuke with her life, and he trusted her back.

Sakura dearly loved Sasuke-kun platonically. She trusted him with her body, with her mind, and her soul. And she sincerely trusted Naruto too.

"No." harshly responded Sasuke.

He closed his mouth, glared and hesitantly continued.

"She's my teammate, Haruno Sakura." And because Mikoto-sama had properly taught him some manners, Sasuke managed to introduce them to her. "Sakura. This is my nii-san, Itachi. The annoying one is Shisui."

Under the table, Sakura placed her hand on his tight and squeezed lightly. She was fiercely proud of him, he was doing better socially. Sasuke gently pinched her hand and rolled his eyes. She smiled, he was adorable when he was embarrassed.

"Hello, Shisui-san, Itachi-san." said Sakura in a steady voice, which took a lot from her too - those two pretty impressed.

Sasuke's brother stoically nodded. She noted many differences between him and Sasuke. They did look similar, but Sasuke's brother's chiseled jaw was more angular. He had the prettiest eyelashes she had ever seen - she wasn't going to be jealous, nope, no way in hell. Oh, who was she kidding? She would kill to have those eyelashes and that hair! It looked so silky - silkier than hers or Ino's. She frowned a bit, maybe not as silkier as Hinata's.

"Haru no Sakura. That's a cliché, right Itachi?" started the annoying man named Shisui. "But I guess, it does fit you though, Sakura-chan."

Her left eye twitched. She met Sasuke's dark orbs, urging him to do something before she starts breaking tables or bones. He blinked.

"What do you want, Shisui." demanded Sasuke instead of asking.

The annoying one with curly hair grinned slyly and promptly took their bottle of sake; calmly pouring himself a cup.

"Well… As I already said, I just wanted to see your lover, Sasuke. I actually thought she was a civi at first, though." said the man as he laughed easily.

Sakura's fists clenched under the table. Now, she knows why Uchiha should stay expressionless, taciturn, silent, calm, etc. It was for their goddamn health. Sakura tightly leashed her chakra, she was not going to lose her control.

Sasuke, who knew her sometimes better than herself interrupted the annoying man.

"Tch. Did you lose whatever brain cells you still had?" he sneered. "A pink-haired kunoichi, named Haruno Sakura. Can't you recognize the fifth's apprentice?" stated Sasuke with a better than thou tone.

The two Uchiha in front of her blinked, and their weighted gaze lingered on Sakura and her prominent forehead. Right. Her disheveled hair had grown tremendously, reaching her shoulder blades; she hadn't had any time to go to a stylist, and her seal was hidden behind her swept hair.

She bit her bottom lip and frowned severely. She really needed to take better care of herself, Sasuke's scolding eyes looked at her. She could feel the judgment in his grave eyes as he fixed her rough bottom lip, the dark circles under her eyes, and her windswept hair.

He sighed. He opened his pouch and promptly took a small elastic. Sasuke silently asked her to turn around, and she was too tired to argue and did as his eyes told. She could feel Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi's eyes on them. However, Sasuke disregarded them and carefully set her hair in a low ponytail. Some sidebangs refused to cooperate and decided to frame her pinched face.

Hopefully, she looked like a normal human being.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." warmly said Sakura.

"Hn."

They both turned toward Shisui and Itachi. Sasuke's brother was as stoic as ever, and honestly, if it weren't for the small movement of his eyes as he looked at them, she would incorrectly think he was a dead body. A sexy dead body.

Sakura drank from her cup of sake, she really needed to sleep.

"Jeez, you too. Are you sure you're not a couple?" asked Shisui, more seriously.

She could feel Sasuke's pent-up anger, as Shisui's dark orbs fixed Sasuke and her - judging their closeness.

"No, we aren't." cut Sakura.

They wouldn't understand, thought Sakura. Team 7's bond was a deep bond, they were more than friends, more than teammates, but not lovers, they were family first. Sakura had always dreamed of younger siblings; and although Sasuke and Naruto had always protected her, she protected them too.

Sakura had always known love. Her dear parents loved her, and they gave her everything they could, they nourished her with all their love. They never managed to give her siblings though, but she had met Ino. Ino, who had saved her from her shyness, Ino, who had given her genuine friendship and love. Then, she had met her team; it had been hard at first, but with Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke-kun, and Naruto - Sakura had truly felt blessed.

People may think that she's useless, that she was spoiled. And they were right, she was spoiled - spoiled with Love. However, Sakura had never been dumb; she did have her moments, but her brain and her heart were strong.

"He's my brother." firmly said Sakura.

Sakura had love.

She had a loving, sweet, annoying family. ( _"Hey, Sakura-chan." Naruto's face scrunched up. "How come you and Sasuke always manage to prepare your bento? Aren't you tired after training?" privately asked Naruto._

_"What do you mean, idiot? My mom makes it for me."_

_Sakura froze._

_Was she stupid? Naruto was an orphan. No one cooked for him, shit._

_"HAHAHA. Yeah!" he gave her a radiant smile, his eyes crunched more than usual._

_"Naruto, that was thoughtless of me, sorr-"_

_"Eh ?! You don't need to apologize, Sakura-chan! Man, could I eat some ramen! Oy. Kakashi-sensei, can we go to Ichiraku?"_

_From that day onward, Sakura always took two bento - one for Naruto, and the second one for her. Then, she started to take three - "eating is a good prevention against chakra exhaustion, Kakashi-sensei!" scolded Sakura._ )

Her dear parents supported her, fully. ( _"A first affinity for raiton, and a smaller one for fire. Well, that's interesting." said Kakashi-sensei._

_She smiles brightly at Sasuke._

_"Congra-"_

_"Shut up." coldly muttered Sasuke._

_Sakura flinched._

_"What the hell teme! She didn't say anything wrong!" shouted Naruto._

_Sakura fixed her broody teammate; he was trembling in anger. His face was paler, his eyes contained so much anger inside them. Sakura seized Naruto's arm. The scowling blonde met her saddened eyes, and she shook her head._

_"Whatever. Kakashi-sensei! Teach me a wind jutsu, dattebayo!"_

_Two hours later, after they had finished training with Kakashi and Naruto, Sakura stopped Sasuke._

_"S-Sasuke-kun." she bit her bottom lip, should she ask him why he was so angry? Will he tell her she's annoying? She squeezed her hands on her qipao. "Are you okay?" asked the pink-haired kunoichi._

_His angry eyes, fueled by hatred, turned on her. She trembled in fear but tried to stop it. He was her teammate. She shouldn't - no she wouldn't be afraid. She looked into his furious eyes, trying to convey her feelings._

_He must have understood her. Because his shoulder dropped, he turned around, averting his eyes - her eyes were on his back, and more precisely on that condemning red and white uchiwa._

_"Every Uchiha has a dominant fire affinity." darkly said Sasuke._

_She knew he wouldn't explain more, but he didn't need to. Sakura perfectly understood that for her complexed teammate, he felt abnormal, he was different. He was not his brother, and he didn't know how to communicate with his father. And maybe, there were other variables unknown to Sakura, but she wanted to comfort him, to tell him that it's okay, everything will be alright._

_She wanted to hug him, to proclaim that his dad should be proud of him, that the clan elders wouldn't criticize Mikoto-sama._

_She couldn't._

_Her opinions didn't matter to him. Sasuke-kun didn't need her._

_She clenched her fist and watched his back - he was walking away._

_"Wow! That means that Sasuke-kun is special!" shouted airily Sakura, in her fangirl voice. "I knew you were the best, Sasuke-kun. You wield fire chakra and lightning. You'll be the Lightning God, shannaro!"_

_What the heck was she saying? Sakura felt her cheeks blushing and hoped that Sasuke-kun won't look at her now. This was so embarrassing! The gods weren't with her, however. Sasuke's face turned slowly toward her, his eyes hidden by his hair, but she could see his smirk._

_"Thank you, Sakura." said Sasuke-kun before leaving her._

_He was so cool._ )

Sakura felt love deeper than anyone else. The mood forged by the two Uchiha in front of her was annoying her, even if Sasuke's brother was completely silent and wasn't speaking.

After she stopped Shisui's teasing, the pretentious sexy Uchiha was looking at her with such intensity, that she was afraid he would use his mangekyou on her. Sasuke-kun had told her many things about Uchiha Itachi's ability with genjutsu.

"Brother… Is that so?" asked Shunshin no Shisui, he gave them a sly smirk behind his cup of sake.

"Yes." firmly finished Sakura.

"Mmh. What do you think Itachi? Do they look like siblings?" asked Shisui, with a teasing smile."Don't they look too close, what do you think, Nara ?"

Sakura blinked and quickly glanced at Shikamaru, he seemed as annoyed by the conversation as Sakura. At least he didn't have dark circles under his eyes, thought Sakura. She inspected her face on the bottle of water, and… yep, even with the lights and the people, she managed to see her horrifying face.

She looked like a ragdoll with pronounced eyeliner.

"Troublesome." said Shikamaru as he got up and went toward another table, abandoning them alone.

Sakura couldn't believe he fled - leaving her, alone with the three Uchiha. She watched with envy as he flopped down on another table, snoring lightly. She needed sleep, dang it!

"What do you want." demanded Sasuke, again.

"No. Really Sasuke, don't you think you're too close to each other ?" asked Shisui, in a tone more severe than before.

Sasuke only pressed his lips tighter, his fierce scowl deepening. Sakura was as confused as her teammate.

"You really are innocent," said Shisui as he looked at the both of them, stunned. "You, you both seriously don't see it?" asked Shisui, his tone flabbergasted.

He instantly turned toward Sasuke's brother.

"Itachi, you see it too, right?"

Sakura's green gaze turned toward the stoic Uchiha. She watched as his lips moved, but something made them freeze, and he didn't speak. Instead, he gave a small nod, his eyes suddenly focused only on Sasuke.

She scowled, she couldn't believe that boy. She would have thought him innocent if it wasn't for the way he shifted his eyes away from Sakura - like she was a pest. What an arrogant man.

"Sasuke" continued the annoyance that was Shisui Uchiha. "Look how close you are sitting to each other, her hand is on your tight - you aren't being discreet." Sakura retracted her hand and flushed a bit. "We know you're not a womanizer Sasuke, but to a stranger, you look like a couple."

"We do not!" interrupted Sakura.

"You do. You may say he's your brother, but with colorings like yours, nobody will think that. You don't have any blood tie." said not unkindly Shisui.

Cold Killing Intent flashed. She suddenly snapped her head toward Sasuke, his Sharingan was turned on, his eyes were burning with passionate rage.

"Get out."

Sakura did not say anything.

She had understood exactly why Sasuke-kun was angry, before he abandoned their village, no one except for Mikoto-sama and Team Seven, knew he was hurting. The apparent lack of attention given by their clan had deeply hurt Sasuke, who had constantly wanted to be better for them.

Uchiha Itachi finally spoke.

"We apologize, Sasuke." softly expressed the warm deep voice of the Clan Heir.

Sasuke's fists were clenched, but he turned off his Sharingan. He was annoyed, but he wouldn't go against his big brother - the clan heir. And, he couldn't go against one of the strongest shinobi of their era, Shisui Uchiha.

They were not strong enough, not yet at least.

Tactical retreat it was then, thought Sakura.

She properly finished the bottle of Sake and took Sasuke's warm hand in hers. He instantly looked at her, but she didn't look at him. No, Sakura's unforgiving gaze — angered by their words, by her lack of sleep — looked at the two godly powered Uchiha with scorn.

"I don't know why _you both_ think you have a _right_ to come during MY birthday party, insult my friend, and think that we will _obey_ you. Tch." she was really spending too much time with Sasuke. She wasn't that dramatic, was she? "Come Sasuke, let us go. We have better things to do. I'm sure that your _mother_ will love to know how my party went, right?"

Sasuke blinked and smirked.

"Hn."

Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi paled.

She got up, triumphantly sending her own smirk at the two foolish Uchiha.

"Really?" shouted Sakura, properly capturing the attention of many people in the bar." WOW, your brother is so kind, Sasuke-kun!" continued to shout gleefully Sakura in an airy loud voice. "He's going to pay everyone's round for my birthday! What a kind man, right everyone ?!"

Uchiha Itachi's lovely mouth dropped a bit, as everyone around them shouted in ultimate happiness - Ino the loudest.

"Let's go Sasuke-kun, I'm pretty knackered." said Sakura with a beaming smile.

Sasuke's amused orbs found hers.

"Now, I know why you're Kakashi's favourite."

And they shunshinned away.


	2. ... Dango Hime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi's part, nothing else to say, keep in mind the warnings.

**Itachi's POV**

"Should we finish there ?" asked breathlessly Shisui.

Itachi nodded before using his hand to wipe away the sweat from his tired face. He was tired but felt better after sparring with his best friend. They came back from a mission this morning, and although it had been a S-class mission, it hadn't required their full ability.

Shisui and Tenzo-senpai had been quite annoyed by the stuck-up princess ; however, Itachi wasn't going to complain. Hokage-sama must have a good reason for sending their team in the first place, or else… No, he shouldn't think about using the Tsukuyomi on their new estimated Hokage.

"Do you want to shower at mine ?" asked his cousin.

"Hn."

It would be more prudent, if his mother learned that they had chosen training after an ANBU mission, she wouldn't make his favorite dango. Taking a shower at Shisui's would enable him to be clean, and have dango tonight.

With a nod, his cousin shunshinned away. Itachi followed one second later, his cousin opened the door to let him enter.

"Right, you go first, I'll make us some tea." kindly said his friend.

Itachi entered the bathroom and took a nice warm shower ; life as a shinobi makes you appreciate what civilians would take for the norm. Warm water, soap, those were luxuries - although he called himself a pacifist, Itachi had to admit that life as a shinobi forced you to live modestly.

He used Shisui's shampoo, and frowned at the lack of conditioner - no, he would not complain. As he washed his bruised muscled body, he dreamed of a life where he wasn't an ANBU, perhaps he would have been a teacher. Itachi smiled at the thought, he would have loved to train the innocent, teach them how to take of themselves, teach them about the Will of Fire.

He sighed deeply and took two towels - one for his hair, the other for his body. Too bad, his father had wanted him in ANBU, even if did admit that ANBU work was more stimulating than Clan work. He massaged his tired eyes at the thought of the paperwork waiting for him ; since his father was really teaching him the ropes of a clan leader, he sympathized with the man.

"Itachi, did you finish ?" asked Shisui.

"Yes." said Itachi.

His cousin entered the warm bathroom as Itachi entered Shishui's room. He smiled at the sight of two pairs of clothes on the bed - his cousin was truly the best. Itachi dressed up and used a B-rank Uchiha Katon jutsu - specialized in haircare. He carefully brushed his hair with his hands, the control for this technique required precision and maintenance of fire chakra input - too much, and he would burn his hair, and that was something unforgiving.

He finished brushing his hair and waited for Shisui in the kitchen, the warm green tea greeted him like a lover. He took the small cup and smelled the nice scent of the tea brand ; it had been imported from Tea Country. His dry lips found themselves on the cup, and he felt guilty for not waiting for Shisui - he was thirsty, thankfully his cousin wasn't harsh with etiquettes or protocols.

"I see you finished drinking." said Shisui as he came back in the kitchen.

He was dressed but his hair was flatter with water on them, some drops shyly left the curls to crash against the ground. Itachi frowned at the mess, however, he couldn't scold Shishui - as it was his home. His cousin easily understood Itachi's frown, and he rolled his eyes with a snort.

"Jeez, I'll clean it later, Itachi-Hime." teased Shisui.

Itachi scowled at the nickname and at the blatant lie. Shisui was no pig, but he cleaned when he felt like it. It was during those moments that Itachi missed his little brother, Sasuke was as unforgiving as Itachi when it came to cleaning - something they may have inherited from their parents.

"Oy, Itachi-chan." started Shisui after finishing his cup of tea. "During your shower, I received a message from Genma."

Itachi blinked, urging his cousin to continue.

"He wants to speak to us about the report. I will meet him in ten minutes, it's at the bar. Wanna come ?" asked Shisui, as he took their cups and put them in the sink.

Itachi didn't have anything to do. He didn't have a social life as huge as his brother - even if Sasuke didn't like to spend time with his friends. If Itachi went back now, his mother would suspect that he had trained before coming home. Even considered a genius, he didn't understand how she knew exactly that.

The better approach would be to follow Shisui, it would give him at least one or two hours, and his mother would appreciate his effort at socializing. Also, it has been a long time since he walked around their village, it would be better to assess if changes had been made in case of an emergency.

"Only if you let me wash those cups first." agreed Itachi.

Shisui snorted but let Itachi clean up the dishes accumulated in the sink.

* * *

A few moments later, and they met Genma at a familiar bar where many chunin and jounin liked to hangout. The place was known for its sake, according to Shisui. Itachi watched with judgingly as a group of chunin and recently promoted jounin were dancing around, alcoholic beverages in their hand.

What foolish behavior, this was what caused many incidents around the peaceful village. At least, thought Itachi, it was pleasant to know that the younger generation was living peacefully.

They met Genma who shared their thoughts, but who loved those type of places. To some degree, Itachi could understand that the difference between cold ANBU mission and warm bar could be appealing to some people. The warmness of the atmosphere, the luxurious beverage, and the many bodies around them were better than sleeping on the soiled ground, crunching on tasteless ration bars, in tensed surroundings.

However, Itachi preferred to spend his free time - which nowadays happened rarely - in lited libraries, with a warm tea ; or sometimes, he would take a book and read it in their garden, his hair fluttering thanks to a nice breeze.

Genma's chuckle interrupted his thoughts, he blinked and looked at his teammate.

"What is it ?" asked Shisui.

"Well, look at Kakashi's students, they look cozy there. I'm surprised that your clan is letting your cousin date an outsider." Genma drank his cup, as they both turned toward where he was pointing. "I mean, they rarely let insider in, right ? It hasn't changed."

Itachi couldn't really see because of the number of people and Shisui in front of him, however, his cousin gasped scandalously.

"Sasuke-chan has a girlfriend ?!" asked Shisui.

That statement froze Itachi. Sure, he hadn't spent too much time with his brother, but Sasuke would have told him if he was dating someone, wouldn't he ?

He thought about that time when his brother left Konohagakure and went to Orochimaru, he thought about last month, when Sasuke announced that he would be moving away from the compound. Itachi frowned, he was being a bad brother - he hadn't been taking care of Sasuke, he was failing again.

"Shisui." murmured the Clan Heir, his tone a little hesitant.

What should they do ? Thankfully for him, his cousin was more talented than him when it comes to speaking with others. Shisui gave him a firm nod, they both gave Genma a bow and walked toward Sasuke.

On their path toward his younger brother, they met Sasuke's closest friend. Shisui and Itachi exchanged a nod and a smirk - reconnaissance it was. Naruto's twinkling blue eyes found them and his happy smile widened into a grin.

"Hey ! It's elder teme, and the fishy dude !" shouted the blond.

It was during these moments, that every Uchiha understood what a hard trial Sasuke had lived. Uzumaki Naruto may have been a warm person, he lacked manners - Itachi looked at the Hyuuga dancing close to the boy, what a surprising sight. Itachi had known the ex-heiress during her childhood, she had been a gentle soul, sadly meeker than a mouse.

Itachi didn't know if he should be outraged at the sight of such conduct - ex-heiress or not, she was a Hyuga, they had a stricter behavioral code than the Uchiha. Or if he should be impressed by Uzumaki Naruto's way of changing people ; the blonde had evoked many emotions from his baby brother who had been falling in the darkness, and Naruto was now changing the Hyuga - forcing her to leave her shyness, and embrace the extrovert way of expressing love.

Itachi decided that he should be impressed. Maybe if he hangs out with the blond, he would be able to socialize, however, he knows that they nothing in common, besides Sasuke.

"Hey, you're the one named after a fishcake, Naruto-chan." snarked Shisui, a teasing grin easily placed on his face.

Naruto scowled, and opened his mouth. Itachi didn't have the time.

"Naruto-kun, is my brother courting someone ?" asked Itachi.

Shisui seemed as surprised as Itachi about his initiative to speak - he hated useless conversation.

The blonde boy cutely tilted his head, his eyes full of confusion - what an expressive face, noted Itachi.

"Er, you mean if he's with someone ?" translated the blonde.

"Yeah, that." added Shisui.

The blonde, whose cheeks were flushed from drinking, crossed his arms.

"Hmm, guess he's with Sakura-chan 'ttebayo." said Naruto-kun with a few nods.

Itachi felt his big-brother world collapse around him, his Inner Itachi had fainted from the shock. His baby brother was dating, and he hadn't told the news to Itachi ; wait, or was he hiding the news?

Itachi frowned, it was a prudent approach to be in a secret relationship - the Uchiha elders would not accept a non-Uchiha partner for Sasuke, he was from the main branch. Yes, it was better to keep that relation secret, for now, he would change the laws when he will ascend to the role of a clan leader. He would force the elders to accept his brother's future wife, or they would… disappear from this realm.

The two Uchihas watched Naruto dance away, and they shared another look.

"Itachi. We should speak to Sasuke, he's flaunting his secret girlfriend in a bar." muttered a worried Shisui.

His cousin was right - Sasuke spending time with his partner was alright, but if he wanted to keep it a secret, a bar wasn't the right place.

"Let us go, Shisui." said Itachi.

His cousin led him toward his baby brother as they navigated through the drunken crowd. The amount of body surrounding him made him anxious - he had never liked a stranger touching him, breathing in his space.

As a shinobi, Itachi had given his hardest to not let this impact his missions or his comrades. His family and Shisui were the only ones he permitted to touch him closely - though, only his mother and Shisui tried to touch him nowadays. His father easily managed to communicate through his eyes, some nods, and the rare pats when he was proud of Itachi.

Sasuke had been his solace when they had been young, his innocent touch gave him the courage to continue his missions, to continue being a shinobi. Now, Sasuke had stopped rushing toward him when Itachi came home ; he was emulating their father and was now communicating through his eyes and nods. But Itachi hadn't lost his hope, his brother was as shy as him - or as asocial as him, they were just bad with this type of communication.

Itachi believes that if they did hug, it would be for a meaningful situation.

"There, they are." muttered Shisui.

Itachi blinked, his eyes finding his precious little brother sitting on a chair, his black eyes warm and innocent, the ghost of a smile leaving his pink lips tainted by sake. Itachi frowned, in the blink of one eye, his cute brother had become a man ; Itachi wasn't ready to accept this, even if he knew that he had to or he would lose his brother.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here ?" interrupted Shisui, mischievous black orbs tinted with worry over Sasuke - it warmed Itachi's heart.

His brother's face closed off, the warmness disappearing from his eyes, his lips were slightly grimacing.

"Shisui." stoically greeted Sasuke.

It hurt Itachi to know that his warm brother was turning more and more like their father and Itachi - they were closing themselves from others, letting duty and pressure mark their faces.

Itachi's mind and heart were not at ease, because Sasuke's hardened personality was a product of the clan's pressure, and their conditioning. Mother was wrong when she told Itachi that he was not to be blamed, he had been a child, he had his own duty ; but Itachi knew that he was not guiltless of this change in Sasuke.

"Sasuke." greeted Itachi, trying to put warmness, love in his voice - he failed, his voice was unused to such feelings, ANBU can do that.

However, Itachi had not failed, his brother's warmer black orbs found his charcoaled colored eyes. Itachi was happy to see that twinkle of happiness, his cute brother's face became more open - something resembling a shy smile was on his lips.

"Nii-san!" greeted happily Sasuke.

Itachi could have died of happiness, his brother was not mad with him. Itachi's lips barely had the time to turn into a smile before Shisui snatched his arm and sat them both down on the stools.

Thankfully for Itachi, he fell gracefully on the stool - if anyone hadn't seen Shisui's hand on him, they would have seen Itachi sitting down of his own accord. Itachi's glaring orbs analyzed their entourage ; the Nara was still fast asleep - more likely, he was pretending to sleep - Sasuke was in front of him, glaring daggers at their cousins.

Itachi's eyes turned on his brother's girlfriend. They widened.

She must have been made by a deity.

Luscious pale pink hair- The gods had stolen the color of soft cherry blossom to paint each pigment of her hair. The playful mass of intertwined pink locks must have been softer than cotton candy, some of her locks looked fluffy. Her shy locks playfully brushed her hidden collarbone.

From the size of her shoulder, and the proportion of her delicate neck, he could imagine her collarbone and its perfect geometry, below them, would be her- No.

He would not go there.

His eyes locked on her face - a mistake that should not have been made.

A pale face, her skin looked as soft as her hair - even softer than a peach. Her dainty nose was perfect and cute, her lips were small but full, her bottom lip was redder than cherries and glowed- tainted by sake. Suddenly, he felt the urge to taste them, were they bitter or sweet. No, he shall resist such uncouth thoughts.

His eyes left her dangerous lips, and he locked his orbs on her eyes. Was she a sorceress trying to ensnare him with her green orbs ? Itachi was no idiot, however, here, he didn't know how to describe those eyes.

They weren't, and he refused to say that they were just green. No, the gods were not kind with him, they had taken every shade of magnificent green, from hardened jade to colorful emerald. The gods gave her eyes the color of healing, a green fire - her eyes were the color of Life.

Itachi's heart skipped a beat. Was she the daughter of a shinigami and Life itself ? He felt her dangerous orbs on him - they were as innocent as Sasuke's but full of curiosity. He felt unworthy of her gaze - a balm full of life hurting his bleeding chest. He wanted to hide, he couldn't meet this temptress' eyes, her sight would make him burn to his death.

What was this being from the outer world doing here ? Why was she sitting in this unsavory bar ? She should be sent back to her realm, where her dangerous beauty could be seen by other gods and goddesses. She shouldn't have left her realm, why was she playing with mere humans ?

Itachi blinked.

He would not lose this fight. He would not acknowledge this deceitful goddess trying to pass as a woman.

"So, Sasu-chan." said the first man with a mischief aura and a grinning face. "Is that your lover ?"

Itachi paled.

Was his brother in danger from this deity ? Was she trying to kidnap Sasuke ? Maybe, his brother's innocence, his strength, his beauty had stolen the creature of Light in front of him.

His brother's eyes foolishly met the Life-colored orbs. The deity continued to tempt them, she bit her sake tainted bottom lip, the cherry colored skin softly enticing them all. She tilted her head, her lovely locks carefully following the movement, caressing her pale neck.

Itachi needed to pray. Pray for their hearts, why was no one acting in face of this deity ? Was she fooling everyone with a genjutsu ? Why wasn't Shisui doing anything ?

The Life-colored orbs looked glazed, what was she seeing ? Was she judging their character ? He hoped she thought he was good, Itachi knew that wasn't, but now, more than ever, he wanted her to judge him as someone good. He wanted her to tell him, that he had done wrong but his soul was still pure.

He was in trouble.

Her reddened cheeks looked like sweet and sour apples - why did she look so sweet ?

"No." firmly said his brother ; not as foolish as he seemed.

Itachi nearly nodded, but stopped. He wouldn't want the goddess to know that he knows her secret identity.

"She's my teammate, Haruno Sakura."

Oh dear Lord. She had infiltrated the village for too long. How did no one discover her identity ? He shouldn't underestimate a deity, she must be powerful to have fooled even the Hokages.

"Sakura. This is my nii-san, Itachi. The annoying one is Shisui."

Itachi paled.

Foolish little brother, he shouldn't have given their names to the powerful dangerous being. She could curse their clan ! She could kill them all !

He watched her arm move - she must be squeezing his brother's tight. This goddess had already ensnared his brother, that damned temptress.

She dared to smile. Was she able to read his mind ?

They were in trouble.

"Hello, Shisui-san, Itachi-san." softly said the siren.

He tried to give a firm nod, his voice would not come out. He felt her life-colored orbs intensely staring at him, they were slightly narrowed. Was she forcing her power on him ? Her eyes suddenly changed, did she think he was foolish ?

"Haru no Sakura. That's cliché, right Itachi ?" answered dangerously his cousin.

He was on something, maybe she was the deity of spring, her life-colored eyes and her flower-colored hair were proof enough. Shisui was sharp, he too had found out about her secret identity.

"But I guess, it fits you Sakura-chan."

Did his cousin have a death wish ?! How could he boldly call a deity by her name, and with such a suffix. Itachi was tense as he watched her left eye twitch - oh, please forgive us deity of life, thought the clan heir.

"What do you want, Shisui." impatiently asked his foolish baby brother, who had decided that a goddess was a nice companion to have in Konoha.

Shisui stole their bottle of sake and poured a cup ; was he the one affected by the Deity of Life and Spring ?

"Well… As I already said, I just wanted to see your lover Sasuke. I actually thought she was a civi at first, though." directly said Shisui with an easy laugh.

Itachi's eyes were fully on the dangerous being, she looked ready to snap - to kill them all in an angry fit. Her chakra was not angry, nor was it full of emotions - her chakra disappeared. Since he had seen her, the amount had been too small for it to be normal - now that it stopped being, he could fully confirm that she was, indeed, a powerful being.

"Tch. Did you lose whatever brain cells you still had ?" rhetorically asked Sasuke, and Itachi had to say that he secretly agreed with him. Shisui was being disrespectful to a goddess. "A pink-haired kunoichi, named Haruno Sakura. Can't you recognize the fifth's apprentice ?" finished his brother, with the same tone as their mother when she was right against unpleasant annoyances.

He blinked, suddenly remembering various moments when he heard about a small pink-haired kunoichi.

("You really should have seen them, Itachi-chan ! They were the cutest !" chirped his mother a bright smile on his face.

"Hn."

"The cute pink-haired girl has a huge crush on your brother, but she was so shy with me ! She was so pink, and cute. You wouldn't believe it."

"Hn."

He took his plate of dango and left the room, leaving his mother gushing alone on the sofa.)

(The door of the study room closed itself harshly. Itachi froze, his hand staying still on his favorite book 'The Road to Peace : War'. He turned his face toward his angered father.

"Tch."

"What happened father ?" carefully asked Itachi.

"That Senju woman took an apprentice." stated his father, as he dropped his paperwork on his desk. "She just became the Hokage, and she's taking an apprentice - your brother's teammate who comes from no clan."

Itachi frowned. He had never met his brother's teammate, he had been too busy with a mission to meet them officially. Although, he did see Naruto-kun train with his brother a few times.

"Naruto-kun? " asked Itachi.

His father froze.

"What. No. The girl, Itachi." His father harshly looked at him. "Haven't you studied about Uzushio ?" sharply asked his father.

It was Itachi's turn to frown.

"No, I focused on Konohagakure and the other villages - I did read a few texts about Uzushio's specialty, fuinjutsu."

"The Uzumaki clan came from Uzushio." informed his father. "Go to the archives, we have plenty of information about them."

He abruptly stopped speaking. Itachi sharply looked at his mysterious father; there was something else he was missing. But he gave his father a bow before leaving the room, his book forgotten on the shell.

"Itachi." interrupted his father. "Do not speak about those books to your mother." softly finished his father, his voice less hard.

What a mystery.)

If the being was the Godaime's apprentice, she should have the famous Seal on her forehead. Was the deity impersonating the Godaime's apprentice ? He sharply looked at the space between her brows - her long hair was hiding the upper part of her forehead.

His brother sighed, before taking an elastic - stolen from Itachi's room. The being turned around - Itachi could do nothing, as he watched the flowing pink strands shyly dancing. He couldn't believe his eyes - and he was an Uchiha, Sasuke was touching her hair.

His fingers were delicately touching the blossom-colored locks; his brother was touching the dangerous being. Itachi felt a surge of anger in his belly - he felt strange.

What was the being doing to him ?

Why wasn't he feeling those protective feelings for his brother ?

Why was he feeling a small seed of negativity against his brother ?

Was she enforcing the curse of hatred to root itself in Itachi ?

He was feeling different - she was using a powerful genjutsu. He discreetly put a genjutsu on his eyes and activated his Sharingan. His dojutsu would break her attempt at controlling him - a gift from a god against a deity.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." softly said the Spring Being.

"Hn."

Activating his Sharingan had been a mistake.

She turned around - her sweet face on them, his dojutsu magnifying all her beauty. Her hair was the threads of the Spring Goddess, her eyes were carved from Life itself, she had stolen peaches from the Deity of Harvest to make her human cloak, and she took their cherries to make her lips.

However, her most beautiful features weren't what ended his heart and his soul. No, what made him go weak was her sweet forehead - it was wide, pale, a proud rhombus decorating it.

He felt his breath, no, his soul leaving his body and coming back - only because her life-colored eyes were on him. He felt his fingers twitch, the urge to poke it pervading him.

It must be with tease, that she took her cup of sake and drank the beverage ; she was humoring him.

At that moment he hadn't lost the battle, but the war. She took him by surprise and he had felt preyed upon, he had fallen.

His mind, his soul, and his heart were hers ; she had won.

"Jeez, you too. Are you sure you're not a couple ?" asked Shisui, more seriously.

Inner Itachi was dressed in black traditional clothing, praying for the lost life of his heart.

"No, we aren't." cut the deity.

No, they aren't, because the vixen had stolen his heart ; it must have been her plan from the start. Corrupting his baby brother to now ensnare his heart.

"He's my brother." firmly said the Spring Being.

Her sentence was repeating itself like a broken record in his mind. The way she firmly claimed his brother as hers, was she asking his hand for marriage ?

He analyzed the being more carefully. Was this what she was proposing for his silence on her presence in Konoha ? It was a nice plan, if he was to accept her arrangement - she could live peacefully in Konoha, and he would be able to follow her attention, to counter her future nefarious plan. Her powerful power could be useful to their clan - whatever those were.

"Brother… Is that so ?" slyly repeated Shisui, his cup of sake approaching those smirking lips.

"Yes." firmly confirmed the Spring being.

So they hadn't misunderstood. This deity was bold to ask for his hand during their first meeting, before meeting his parents. With Shisui's presence, he would present her… proposition to the clan tonight.

"Mmh. What do you think Itachi ? Do they look like siblings ?" rhetorically asked Shisui. "Don't they look too close, what do you think, Nara ?"

Without meaning to, Itachi began to compare the Deity with his family. She didn't look like an Uchiha, not at all. He watched her blink slowly, her Life-colored eyes on the Nara boy.

The Nara was not foolish, unlike Itachi's little brother, he got up quicker than any Nara and left them alone muttering a small 'troublesome'. Itachi analyzed the deity, her angered eyes glaring at the sloth of a Nara.

It seemed that she preferred the Uchiha Clan for her wants. So she wasn't after Konoha, or she would have manipulated the Nara - and besides, she was the apprentice to the Godaime, and a student of the Rokudaime. No, her objectives were different.

She must be here for the sharingan.

"What do you want." asked Sasuke ; his brother didn't understand what was happening underneath the underneath - what had he learned under Kakashi ? (Itachi preferred to not think about that dark period when Sasuke left Konoha for Orochimaru).

"No. Really Sasuke, don't you think you're too close to each other ?" asked Shisui, in a tone more serious than before.

Itachi dearly needed to inform his beloved brother how to not follow powerful beings. First, he followed Orochimaru, although the wicked man was no god; he was a Sannin - powerful enough to do terrible _things_ to Sasuke. Naruto-kun was onto something when he called him a 'snakey-bastard'.

Sasuke's fierce scowl deepened; looking exactly like their harsh father when the elders spoke in riddles. Shisui looked stunned by Sasuke's innocence, a sentiment that wasn't shared by Itachi - his younger brother was the absolute form of innocence.

"You really are innocent. You, you both seriously don't see it?" added his cousin, turning toward Itachi, as if he had put a genjutsu on the bar and was playing a mischievous joke. What a foolish thought. "Itachi, you see it too, right?"

Itachi barely opened his mouth when arresting life colored sharply gazed at him. His heart may have skipped a beat. Was the enchantress using her techniques? He fought with himself, but lost; a breath left his lips. He couldn't speak.

Ha barely managed a nod, his eyes too focused on those life-colored orbs, soft love-colored hair framing her nice dumpling colored face. Her glistening forehead marked by power made his finger twitch - he needed to poke it.

He sharply took back control of his mind and focused his eyes on his precious baby brother. The deity nearly managed to possess his mind, he should be more cautious.

"Sasuke." carefully continued Shisui. "Look how close you are sitting to each other, her hand is on your tight - you aren't being discreet." Itachi nearly let out a victorious smirk when the deity finally let go of his innocent brother. "We know you're not a womanizer Sasuke, but to a stranger, you look like a couple."

"We do not!" powerfully cut the deity of Spring.

"You do. You may say he's your brother, but with colorings like yours, nobody will think that. You don't have any blood tie." sagely said his cousin.

The killing intent he felt hadn't surprised Itachi; he had been looking cautiously at the deity. What surprised him was that it was Sasuke who was angry. Itachi was surprised by his brother's anger; was the deity affecting him to that extinct?

"Get out." coldly ordered his younger brother.

Sasuke's eyes burned from anger and pain, making Itachi's guilt tripled. His brother had found a friend in the mysterious deity, that could not be refuted. Even if Shisui or Itachi tried to explain the situation to Sasuke, his brother would not listen. The deity had never betrayed his foolish innocent brother.

"We apologize, Sasuke." gently said Itachi, his eyes meeting the angry red gaze of his baby brother.

Sasuke's love for him had not been lost at least, his baby brother thankfully turned off his sharingan. A small warmth spread through his body, his dear brother was forgiving him.

However, all warm thoughts disappeared when the deity's aura suddenly changed. Something shifted in her life colored eyes, power sharpened her unforgiving gaze. Her dainty fingers hooked on the bottle of Sake, and she took it to her mouth - drinking the bitterness away, countering it with her sweet colored body.

Her body language asked for their attention, and Itachi could do nothing but obey. His eyes locked on them, oxygen abandoned his body, he would swear that at that moment, his blood froze.

"I don't know why you both think you have a right to come during MY birthday party, insult my friend, and think that we will obey you. Tch." harshly expressed the goddess.

"Come Sasuke, let us go." the deity got up, her hand linked with his brother's arm. "We have better things to do." continued the deity, her life-colored eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I'm sure that your mother will love to know how my party went, right?"

His heart stopped. What did she just say?

"Hn." murmured Sasuke, a smirk on his face.

Her smirking face combined with her knowing eyes made her look poised. At that moment, Itachi should be thinking about her vicious blackmail, he should be thinking about his mother's anger. He should be thinking about his mother being manipulated by the powerful being.

So why was he thinking that she would make the perfect matriarch for his clan? She must be an Uchiha, thought Itachi, an Uchiha that had taken the form of his ideal food, and stolen its sweet colors.

Her calm attitude, her hidden strength, her love for his brother, and the way she had boldly asked for his hand. Had the gods created this deity to be Itachi's undoing?

The winning smirk she gave him was the final nail on his coffin. This Spring Deity, who stole Life for her eyes, Love for her hair, with the wide pale forehead asking to be poked and marked by Power - she had been created for him or against him.

"Really?" shouted the Menace, startling his frozen being. " WOW, your brother is so kind, Sasuke-kun!"

What was she saying? Will she announce his acceptance of their courtship ?  
"He's going to pay everyone's round for my birthday ! What a kind man, right everyone ?!"

What.

He couldn't breathe, he couldn't hear the sound of the crowd; their happiness for his.

"Let's go Sasuke-kun, I'm pretty knackered." finally finished the deity with a blinding smile.

His foolish baby brother shared a moment with the dangerous deity.

"Now, I know why you're Kakashi's favorite."

And they shunshinned away, leaving Itachi and Shisui alone.

"Shisui."

His cousin was startled by his pained voice but instantly turned toward him.

"I don't have my money pouch." confessed Itachi.

Shisui groaned and loudly flung his head against the table.

"Urgh, just give me the sake cousin." Continued the curly-haired man. "Next time I want to generously help Sasuke, just stop me. What a drama queen, he and that pink-haired girl. But hey, why were you so silent? I thought you would have spoken more." justly said Shisui as he snatched a used bottle from Nara's table.

Itachi's lips twisted in a grimace.

"The." he stopped involuntarily. Itachi wouldn't address her as a deity, he would think it; but he wouldn't fail to keep his pride and call her that in the presence of others - even if it was Shisui. "The Dango Hime merely forced me into silence. She possessed my mind and took control of my body."

Shisui's face had never been that flabbergasted. He got up abruptly.

"I NEED MORE SAKE FOR THIS SHIT!" shouted loudly his eccentric cousin.

The kind bartender happily obliged, and Itachi may have partaken in a rare bottle; he will need the courage liquid to confront his mother tonight.

* * *

**AN : So, I wanted to stop here, but...**

**OMAKE TIME**

* * *

**Itachi's POV**

"I-TA-CHI." slowly pronounced his upset mother, her long dark hair hiding her snarling face, except for the glowing red eyes. In her hand was a frightening frying pan.

"Mother." the liquid courage must have functioned adequately, because he hadn't stuttered.

"I can't believe you would spoil Sakura-chan's birthday ! You have never even met the girl, and you already antagonized her!" scolded his mother.

He knew he wouldn't be able to argument, so Itachi didn't speak. After five terrible minutes of scolding, she put a ban on dango and consigned him to his room.

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

"Thank you, Haruno-sensei !" shouted gleefully a young boy as she properly finished healing his skinned arm.

"Your welcome Ryouta.-kun. However, be more careful with kunais, there's a reason why you shouldn't use your parents' weapons." scolded naturally Sakura.

The boy gave her firm nod and jumped out of the chair, rushing eagerly through her door.

You can come out." sharply said Sakura.

Sasuke's brother appeared in front of her; she didn't understand why he detested her. But since they met two weeks ago, he wouldn't stop following the medic.

"What do you want, Uchiha-san ?" merely said Sakura without a smile; his behavior was tiring her.

"I have finally managed to assess your procedure. Your time is nearly done, I will not allow you to endanger Konoha."

Was he taking drugs? Sakura rolled her eyes, Sasuke's beloved brother was uncool - whatever Sasuke-kun and everyone said was untrue; he was the strangest shinobi she had ever met.

"Okay, so what? You want to learn my procedures?" reluctantly asked the pink-haired medic. He could just have attended medical classes, instead of pestering her.

Oh, right, he was an Uchiha; he had to have the best.

"You would let me learn your procedures?" asked the Heir.

"Sure, I guess. Just don't disrupt me in my work."

He gave her a firm nod and left her alone.

"Finally!" muttered loudly Sakura.

* * *

**Itachi's POV**

"Aniki."

Itachi stopped polishing his kunai.

"Sasuke."

He turned toward his younger brother, and Sasuke had a frown on his face.

"Has something happened?" asked softly Itachi.

His beloved brother seemed to hesitate.

"What are you trying to do with Sakura?" directly asked his darling brother.

Itachi paused. He couldn't reveal that he was assessing the dangerous being; his innocent brother was still under her control. Itachi would have to use the convenient excuse provided by the deity.

"We have entered in a courtship."

"What." muttered his young brother, his eyes rounded by such a foolish idea.

Itachi nodded sagely.

"It is accurate. You should ask her."

Itachi promptly returned to his kunais.

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

"Sooo, what's the problem teme?" asked Naruto as he finished his third bowl of ramen.

"This is a Team 7 situation." said Sasuke.

"Huh? Something happened, Sasuke-kun ?" asked Sakura.

She hadn't seen anything strange lately, everything had seemed pretty normal. She blocked the memory of the annoyance that was Itachi Uchiha and his weird stalker-behavior.

"You finally understand that you are as straight as a cooked noodle, and dickless is your sun?" wisely proposed Sai.

"Eh? Whadd'ya mean, dattebayo?" asked Naruto. "And don't call me that, Sai!"

"I'm straight!" shouted Sasuke.

Sakura punched the three boys on their heads.

"So. Sasuke-kun. What's the problem?" loudly asked Sakura, ignoring their insulting whispers.

"Itachi told me that you were dating him." said Sasuke, glaring daggers at her.

"WHAT! Sakura-chan, you're dating Itachi! You could have told me, dattebayo!" shouted Naruto, pointing his chopsticks at her.

"Oh my. Uchihas are tasteless, who would have thought that Weasel liked Ugly."

"What?" whispered Sakura, overlooking her team's dramatic behavior; she was used to them.

"My brother." repeated Sasuke. "I confronted him about his behavior toward you, and he seemed to think you are dating each other." finished Sasuke.

Sakura bit her bottom lip.  
After showing many medical procedures to the Uchiha heir, Sakura had been tired from his constant presence. She couldn't go meet anyone — although she was thankful that his presence stopped the flirty behavior of many patient — or hangout with her friends. Her solution was to speak to Sasuke-kun; he would be able to stop his beloved big brother stop stalking her.

But now that she thought about it, his weird behavior was similar to Hinata's. Maybe it's the way nobles tried to confess. Thinking back about the past weeks, Sakura had spent many awkward moments with the elder Uchiha. He was weird, silent, and always looked at her. The pink-haired medic thought the medical procedure she showed him would be enough to leave her alone.

However, what if it was his way of asking her on dates? Tenten and Neji always went to 'train.' Maybe, Sakura was dating Itachi! They spent many times together, and she did find him nice looking. They had things in common; he liked to read historical romantic book, and they even shared a fondness for sweets. He eagerly followed her to libraries, willingly paid for her take-outs.

"Holy Hokage! I'm dating Itachi Uchiha." realized Sakura.

Ino may have been onto something about Sakura's feminine charms. Itachi must have fallen for her and was expressing it à la Hinata. Suddenly, Sakura felt guilty, she hadn't known they were dating. She will be kinder with him tomorrow.

"You could have told us." grumbled Sasuke.

No way was Sakura telling him or team seven that she had been unknowingly dating his brother.

* * *

**Itachi's POV**

The deity had prepared two bento boxes.

Itachi calmly assessed her behavior and how she manipulated people into loving her. However, she had behaved quite strangely today. Her dumpling colored face had taken a peach tint, and her life-colored eyes wouldn't look at him in the face.

The Spring Deity was wearing eyeliner, a pink gloss over her lips - and couldn't she stop biting that cherry colored bottom lip of hers? She twisted her love-colored lock on her finger and proposed to go in the park near the hospital.

His shinobi sense flared in alarms. She was plotting something.

She took him to the park, and they sat down on a bench. She gave him a bento box, and took another one for herself.

He could see a dangerous purple aura surrounding his box. He bravely uncovered it - badly cooked rice, weirdly cut vegetables and nice eggs welcomed him. He glanced furtively at her.

"You can try it." softly muttered the deity.

"I… I'm not famished." lied Itachi.

The deity glared ferociously at him.

"I spent two hours on it, asshole!" shouted shrilly the pink-haired menace.

Her life-colored glare forced him to take the chopsticks. He decided to go for the eggs; they looked normal enough.

He should have been more prudent.

The deity had managed to assassinate him, thought one last time Itachi.

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

Sakura scowled harshly at the arrogant Uchiha.

"I spent two hours on it, asshole!" furiously shouted the medic.

She really devoted two hours to make their food, earnestly trying her hardest even if she was tired from her shifts. According to Ino, men loved when their lover cooked for them, and especially when they made bento.

He took on of her rolled eggs, she smiled nervously. Hopefully, he would love it.

He put it in his mouth and chewed; his face turned pale and purple. He choked on the eggroll and fainted, inevitably falling from the bench.

Sakura's infallible instinct kicked in, and she was saving him. Thankfully, he was alive. She frowned and took the bento box; she analyzed the eggroll, it looked ordinary. She put in her mouth; she choked and spat.

"I put too much salt on it, dang it."

She pouted and properly assessed the prepared food. The veggies were badly cooked, and she even failed the rice, shannaro! How did she fail that? Her apologetic eyes promptly turned on the fallen Uchiha.

"What a ninny, he could have eaten it." grumbled the pink-haired kunoichi.

She rolled her eyes and gently put the Uchiha on the bench. She seized the two boxes and allegedly dumped them in the nearest trash can. She left the Uchiha alone on the bench, and she walked toward the dango shop a road away from here.

The sweet dumplings were Itachi's favourite, according to Sasuke-kun. She bought nine sticks and went back to the bench. He was getting up, thank god.

She smiled gently.

* * *

**Itachi's POV**

He had miraculously survived.

His eyes opened, the terrible taste in his mouth must represent the taste of foolish death.

"You're awake, good." spoke the deity.

He glared fiercely at her.

She intentionally avoided his eyes and eagerly pushed homemade tea in his calloused hands.

"Here, it will soothe your throat." insisted earnestly the sorceress.

Itachi glared at the hazardous substance, the beverage looked too normal to be good. It must be another toxin from her world.

"It's really good, I promise." whispered gently the deity. "Sasuke-kun and Naruto drink it every time."

That explained many odd things executed by the strange duo. Itachi frowned in thoughts, maybe this was what she utilized to erase the memories of the one who found out about her secret powers. Or was she using it to control everyone? Yes, this could be a possible theory, maybe she replaced the previous Hokage's cup of sake by this exotic beverage.

"Hey, are you okay?" interrupted the deity.

"What are the godaime-sama's humble opinion on this beverage?" asked Itachi.

He must have accurately perceived the deity's secret, for she frowned at his question. Her life-colored eyes sparkled.

"She likes it, I guess. It's really good for your health!" her cherry-colored lips widened in a mischievous grin. "Sometimes, I even exchange her dear sake with it. But keep it a secret please, or shishou will punch me." finished the deity with a light chuckle.

So, he was accurate.

He had definitely discovered the secret behind her criminal ways. He had her where he wanted, it was with a smirk that his eyes found her sparkling life-colored eyes.  
He shouldn't have looked at her radiant face. The dangerous deity was trying to control him; he instantly felt his heart speed up - what a dangerous creature.

Her life-colored eyes looked mischievous and innocent, the gentle wind played with her love-colored locks, her plump cheeks were painted in a peach color. Her cherry lips were still stretched in that innocent smile of hers.

It seemed that the gods didn't want her cover to be blown up. Was she using a genjutsu to force his eyes to look only at her smiling face, his dark glare focused on her prominent forehead. That cute pokable forehead, with a mark inviting him to just poke it.

His calloused fingers twitched.

Why was he the only one who found out the truth about this powerful entity? He would take SS-ranked mission instead of confronting this deity.

He frowned, he had to do something; he was no coward. He had sworn to protect Konoha.

"What do you want from me?"

Was this his voice? It had been a mere whisper, the gentle wind could have stolen his words, but the deity had heard him. Her face twisted in a frown, her life-colored eyes as confused as his being.

"In general? Or now?" asked the deity.

His face fell flat. She lightly chuckled.

"Both I guess? Well… in general, I guess I wanted to apologize…" started cautiously the deity, her finger founding her delicate chin.

So, she had done wrong and was searching diligently for atonement.

"And, well, I hope that our relationship will be better in the long term?" her skin flushed, and her brilliant eyes widened. "Not marriage! I mean, not now! Wait, no, I guess I do like you, but we don't know each other for that. And I mean, that, yeah, if everything in future is good, and I guess there is love between us… Wait! I'm not saying that I'm hating you or anything. I like you, Shannaro!" shouted the deity.

What.

She blushed brightly.

"Whatever, here I brought you some dango! You like them right?"

He thoughtfully watched her trembling arm handing him a nice Hanami dango stick. The sweet scent detected by his nose, awakened his dead taste buds, however he didn't take it. His astonished eyes were wide and focused on the deity. Her life-colored eyes were averting his gaze; her teeth were playing with her cherry bottom lip.

He finally unraveled her complex story.

The Spring Deity was working for Konoha to amply atone from her previous sins, however, she had undoubtedly fallen for him.

"What is your goal?" sharply asked Itachi, persistently ignoring his racing heartbeat.

"To be a better shinobi, to protect team seven and Konoha with my life." conveyed the deity without any hesitation.

Their personal purposes aligned.

"If we were to enter an open courtship, what would you do when you are the next Uchiha matriarch?" interrogated the clan heir.

She glared fiercely at him.

"I will marry only for love." solemnly swore the deity. "And if we were married, I refuse to give up my life Uchiha! I worked hard for what I have, and no clan will steal my work nor break my spirit." strongly said the deity.

"I see. In that case, you will be mine, dango hime." solemnly concluded Itachi as he took her ultimate gift to him, and his clan - food for her intended husband.

"W-what ?!" shouted the deity.

He naturally gave her a firm nod.

She had undoubtedly passed all his tests. The gods had created this dango-and-life colored deity for him, she was a capable protector watching over his precious brother and Konohagakure.

"Shannaro." muttered the deity as she fainted on him.

Itachi intentionally let her head fall in his lap and started to contentedly eat his dango. A dango hime for a dango lover, he should never have doubted his mother - the Uchiha gods had created the perfect being for him.

And if she was a spy, he now had an easy way to watch over all her movement in the village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So~ Hope you liked it!

**Author's Note:**

> So that was Sakura's part.


End file.
